Waka
Waka (ウシワカ, Ushiwaka) is a mysterious character that appears in Okami. The guardian of the Moon Cave and a self-proclaimed prophet, he often interferes in Amaterasu's plans and missions. Personality Unflappable perfectly describes Waka; no matter the situation he never shows any signs of being upset or fearful, a habit that annoys Issun constantly. Also annoying to Amaterasu and her companion is Waka's habit of rarely being direct; he prefers vague hints that he calls "prophecies" over straight information. His advice is always helpful, though it is sometimes observed to be so only in hindsight. Waka also has a great deal of playfulness to his personality; even when he is taking things seriously, he refers to it light-heartedly. This is evident in his prophecies, which usually contain some humurous action or phrase. He often peppers his speech with French expressions of affection, such as "mon amie" and "ma chérie". In the original Japanese version (and every other version except for the american release), Waka uses english expressions. Even though Waka insults Amaterasu many times throughout the course of the game, it is quite clear that he has a great amount of respect and trust for her. It can be said that there is a certain bond between the two, as Waka mentioned that they "fought Orochi side by side." There are some that believe that Waka might even have deep feelings for Amaterasu, but that has never been confirmed. Appearance Waka appears to be something of a dandy at a glance. He wears a bright pink kimono and purple Sashinuki-hakama, which along with his headdress, consisting of a hawk-head with a long flowing cloak, give him a very feminine appearance. He also wears tabi socks and tall "platform" geta with single tooth; this would appear to make him easy to knock down, but Waka moves more skillfully than he lets on. He has the shortest legs in the game, a fact which is usually covered up because he is wearing stilts and appears taller. He constantly carries a flute with him that is actually the disguised form of his sword Pillow Talk. He also has a second sword in a scabbbard at his side. During his first meeting with Amaterasu, he demonstrated the ability to walk on water. Since the Water Tablet Moon Tribe artifact Ammy can purchase from The Emperor grants the same ability, it's possible Waka has a similar device, as he is also a member of the Moon Tribe. His hat allows him to fly and/or glide for short distances. Notably, Waka has long golden hair beneath his helmet, because he is a member of the Moon Tribe like Kaguya. Story Okami Waka first appears before Amaterasu and Issun in Agata Forest, greeting them in a friendly manner before challenging Amaterasu to a test of strength by fighting her. He notes she is still weak; it seems he has met her before when she was in a stronger form. He challenges her again in Taka Pass continuing to taunt her and tell her about the Serpent Crystal at the Gale Shrine. After she deals with Crimson Helm, he is there to conveniently slip it away from under her nose and more than willing to use it to open the Moon Cave. Thereafter, he continues to appear periodically in the game to taunt and warn Amaterasu further. More hints are dropped about the true nature of his power. He controls a set of special troops in Sei-An City for Queen Himiko; one trooper, Abe, has found information that he may be centuries old. He also has enough power to disperse the Cursed Zone in North Ryoshima Coast on his own before Amaterasu can get there. He also displays the abillity to teleport, apparently limited clairvoyance (although this clairovyancy may be more powerful than he admits), and can 'phase' through any of Ammy's attacks if she tries to attack him outside of the two boss battles. Waka is also outstandingly long-lived; he survived Orochi's initial attack on the Celestial Plain, survived the attack by demons on the Ark of Yamato, came out of two battles with Amaterasu merely out of breath, and survived being hit by a laser beam by Yami and falling a very long distance to the ground without his helmet. Also Waka and Kaguya are the only surviving members of the moon tribe Bestiary Entries After first encounter This mysterious character is sometimes depicted as a Tao master and sometimes as a loyal disciple. ''In any depiction, he always carries his sword, Pillowtalk, and has even raised his blade at Amaterasu. ''That battle was won by carefully knocking down Waka's thrown swords. After second encounter Drawings of Waka differ greatly based on the artist and story. ''Sometimes young and pretty...Sometimes an old hermit. ''No matter the details, the sense of mystery about him is unchanged. ''This mystery is what is compelling about him and his many tales.'' Of course, people tend to accept Issun's rendition as accurate. Strategy Waka is only fought two times, first in Agata Forest and then in a cave in Taka Pass. He uses the same moves in both fights, although the second time he appears he is faster and has more health. Waka mostly attacks with his beamsword, Pillow Talk, but also throws his normal sword at Amaterasu if she is too far away. Waka can perform one long strike with his beamsword, a combo of strikes, or will float a short distance above the ground and fly at Ammy with his sword outstretched whilst rotating, similarly to a drill. After either the first or second move, he wil be briefly stunned and can be more easily attacked. This is also the only time Power Slash (which does considerable damage to him) can be used on him. It is also possible to send Waka's sword right back at him when he throws it, using Power Slash. This will also stun him and leave him vulnerable. The best strategy is to stay at a distance from Waka, only coming close when necessary, as most of Waka's attacks are close-range and staying at a distance will force him to use his sword throw, which provides an opportunity to stun him. Rosaries are best for this, as they can do a large amount of damage from a distance. A subbed Reflector can also deflect all of Waka's attacks. Quotes *"Waka, the Gods' Gift to Man is here! Bonjour!" *"It takes two to tango!" *"Let's rock, baby!" *"Just go for it!" *"Life is all about resolve. Outcome is secondary. It is resolve that determines the true value of your life." *"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So just take it step by step." *"Look, the moon! The moon! The moon came out!" *"Heh Heh. Pardon, ma cherie...That wasn't a very good one." Gallery Amaterasu_&_Waka.jpg|Waka and Amaterasu. Trivia *It is undoubtedly Waka that was mentioned in the prophecy about the only member of the Moon Tribe that escaped the cursed boat of Yamato. Kaguya is also a member of the Moon Tribe, but she escaped whatever wiped out the Moon Tribe in the rocket she later unearthed, so the legend cannot refer to her. *In the game Bayonetta, Bayonetta can unlock a green beamsword named Pillow Talk. *Just before his second battle with Amaterasu, he says "Just go for it!", this is spoken during a major fight in Viewtiful Joe 1 and 2, made by the same studio as Okami. *Waka's character apperance was inspired by Tatsunoko's Gatchaman. *Waka is based off of the Japanese general named Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Category:Okami Characters Category:Cleanup Category:Humanoids Category:Moon Tribe